Nearly 3,000 people in France need to be monitored for jihadist links, Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced on Wednesday, as he revealed his government’s response to this month’s Charlie Hebdo attacks. Over 700 million euros will be invested in new anti-terror measures over the next three years.

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“In total nearly 3,000 people need to be under surveillance” in France because of their links to jihadists or “terrorist networks” in Syria and Iraq, Valls told the media on Wednesday.

That is a rise of 130 per cent in the past year.

The country faces a “redoubtable challenge” and a “change of scale which forces us to take exceptional measures”, the prime minister said.

The total cost, when an increased wage bill is included, will be 735 million euros, to be paid for by savings in other government spending.

Extra equipment, including better weapons and protective clothing for the police, and running costs will total 425 million euros; .

An extra 2,680 anti-terror jobs will be created, mostly by the interior, justice and defence ministries.